Drought declared in parts of Sussex as Ardingly Reservoir nears one-quarter full

(by Karma Loveday)

The Environment Agency (EA) has declared drought in the parts of Sussex supplied by South East Water, due to declining water levels at Ardingly Reservoir, which serves 228,000 customers in the Haywards Heath area.

The water level in the reservoir has been falling rapidly since June following very dry weather and high temperatures, resulting in high demand. It is currently at 27.6% of total capacity, but not all of that is usable. To fill it, at least 80% of average rainfall is needed from now until February 2026 — but this is not currently forecast.

South East Water was granted a drought permit by the EA in September, which allows it to abstract water from the River Ouse earlier to refill the reservoir and to reduce the compensatory release from the reservoir to the Shell Brook. Now the company has also applied to the secretary of state for a drought order, which would allow further abstraction dispensations to maintain public water supply.

From 17 October, South East Water will also remove all exemptions applied in its Sussex area to the hosepipe ban that was implemented earlier this year. This includes for priority service register customers, and previously exempt activities such as watering new lawns and food grown in allotments. Hosepipes in the Sussex area will only be permitted for health and safety purposes, which means where there is a danger to a person or animal's welfare or life.

The affected parts of Sussex join the five English regions already in drought: Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire, Greater Manchester Merseyside and Cheshire, East Midlands, and the West Midlands.

Last week, the EA issued 17 new drought permits to Yorkshire Water to help it conserve reservoir water for public supply. These concern the South West Group of reservoirs which are on tributaries of the River Calder, River Colne and River Holme. The permits last for six months and allow reduced releases to the rivers. Twenty other permits are already in place for reservoirs elsewhere in Yorkshire.

Some parts of the country have seen water resource improvements since September. Southern Water last week formally withdrew its application for a drought order for the River Test in Hampshire after previously pausing the process, following September rain, its hosepipe ban and reduced customer usage.

However, experts have warned that it will take a wet autumn and winter to reverse the impacts of several continuous months of below-average rainfall across the country.